Clemson defensive end and quarterback hitting aficionado Da'Quan Bowers has been the subject of a lot of draft speculation. In the beginning, he was considered a top-five pick, especially considering how important getting to the quarterback is in the NFL and that a good sack artist has become more of a rarity in the league. At that point, many thought the Cincinnati Bengals wouldn't be able to pass Bowers up because the idea of Bowers opposite of Carlos Dunlap was so intriguing and incredibly terrifying.
However, Bowers' knee injury was cause for concern for a lot of coaches, scouts and general managers (in the Bengals case it was coaches, I'm sure). Bowers told doctors at the Combine that his knee, which he hurt during his last season at Clemson but decided to wait until the season was over to undergo surgery, was 100 percent but he was "flagged" by a doctor. He then missed his pro day at Clemson and was forced to reschedule it.
Needless to say, Bowers' draft stock had fallen, in some experts' opinions, as far as the last half of the first round. However, the positive results of Bowers' medical re-check may change their minds.
According to PFT, the initial results were so positive that doctors felt it unnecessary to ask Bowers to undergo an MRI or any more X-Rays. The Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot reported that the results of his re-check are all positive.
"Stability was good and there was no swelling in the knee," according to Cabot’s source.
Bowers will continue his workout schedule with different teams as we approach the draft, and it's currently unclear as to whether or not he can work his way back into the good graces of the top-five teams. If he does, is it possible that he could become an intriguing first-round selection for the Bengals again? Teams will be wary when it comes to Bowers' knee, though, and none more than the Bengals, especially if they learned their lesson from the Antonio Bryant fiasco that took place before the 2010 season.
The draft is only a mere three weeks away, so Bowers will need to get to work if he wants to be considered by the Bengals by April 28.